What is wine? Fermented grape juice of course! But my question is philosophical rather than physical.
I cannot think of anything we ingest that has the diversity of wine - not only in terms of flavor and style but in terms of what it costs and how it is viewed by the consumer - its social connotations. Depending on your point of view, wine is mundane, it inspires, it bores, it intimidates, it is elitist, or, as in the case of Thomas Jefferson, it is a necessity of life.
Vast quantities of wine are no more than a commodity - sold in bulk, distinguished only by color, consumed in cultures that value wine as an indispensable accompaniment to food, much as we (some of us) value ice-water for the same purpose. And of course, in many places in this world, perhaps even our own, wine may be safer to drink than water - at least one of the qualities that no doubt impelled our ancestors to make and drink the stuff. Please do not misunderstand - I would never say that "wine IS safer to drink than water" - that might offend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. That those three "vices" are lumped together under one regulatory agency is an interesting comment on our culture.
What distinguishes "commodity" wine from so-called "fine" wine? In the final analysis it comes down to quality vs. quantity. Quality in wine has to do with a specific place (a vineyard or a region), and it has to do with people (a winemaker a family or the owners of a co-op or winery), and those considerations ultimately limit quantity. On the other hand, need more commodity wine? Simply buy more grapes, buy more juice or plant more vines - anywhere. In fact, with shortages of Merlot in recent years in California, several major brands of Californian wine have actually been French - that fact is usually on the label, but not obvious.
Most of the wine consumed in the US is commodity wine that is "branded" and nationally advertised - Gallo alone produces about 360 million gallons a year - and more and more of that wine is varietal rather than generic, (for example, Cabernet rather than "burgundy", or Chardonnay rather than "chablis") as consumers tastes become more sophisticated - (great for the Madison Wine Shop).
With "national" brands, all a retailer has to do is put them on the shelf at a competitive price and they will sell. But what fun is that? Boring to sell and boring to drink!
Gallo and other big players are moving aggressively into upscale wines, but I cannot hide my bias against big business with big marketing bucks - the more so because high prices, marketing hype, and consequent label or brand recognition are no guarantee of quality.
Commodity wine is the low end of the market, but at the other extreme we have "trophy" wine, the vinous equivalent of a trophy wife, or has been for that matter, prized and sought after because of glamour, inaccessibility, rarity, social standing and perceived beauty, or whatever, with nary a thought about compatibility, in the case of the wife, or drinkability in the case of the wine.
Sadly, many high profile wines are purchased without the slightest notion of what the wine tastes like, and with only some vague future date for consummation - if in the interim it does not become too valuable to drink, and gets auctioned off. That's one advantage of trophy wine over trophy wife - there is a potential for profit in unloading trophy wine! And those high profile wine auctions are an interesting phenomenon in themselves - the latest, targeted directly at Wall Street, will be held at Windows on the World and will begin with the close of the Stock Market at exactly 4pm on May21. Conspicuous Speculation or Conspicuous Consumption?
As for me, I fully intend to consume my treasured case of "pre- Madison Wine Shop" '82 Mouton even though it is worth about 50 times what I paid for, so please don't get me wrong - there is plenty of wonderful, expensive wine out there that can and should be enjoyed - I sell some of it. But it is not for everyone - not by a long haul.
Unfortunately, finite supplies and expanding demand have pushed prices of top Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo and Brunello into trophy territory. But that should not concern any wine-lover. For every trophy Bordeaux there are dozens of affordable, enjoyable, everyday Bordeaux - to some extent true for Burgundy, but not true for Barolo or Brunello. However the wines of the Rhone Valley, despite rising prices, are still vastly undervalued.
Fortunately, on the other hand, there is great satisfaction to be had in finding and selling obscure, exciting wines, some at very affordable prices and some at prices that are great values, and it can be done every day. The considerations are "Can I sell it?" and, more importantly "Do I want to sell it?". My "want" to sell a wine is driven by the opportunity to offer exciting wine at attractive prices, and the need to make a profit. You need only to browse our shelves to see where that philosophy has taken us Ricks Picks.
That segment of the market that lies between the "mass" market and the "cult" market, is an ever moving frontier waiting to be explored - the creation of hundreds, even thousands of sometimes obscure wine-makers - wine-growers is a better word - laboring to produce "artisanal" wines in a market that is increasingly dominated by big business with marketing clout. Sure, many of our customers know of, and are fans of, these kinds of wines, but there are many wine-lovers who choose not to become wine literate - all those labels and varietals present a challenge that they decline. Instead they have, over time, acquired faith in Rick's Picks.
The appeal and the fun of wine lies in how it can transform our nightly repast, no matter how simple, from a necessity of life into one of life's simplest yet enduring pleasures - one that I look forward to with great anticipation every day. "Whats for dinner and what wine?" are the questions I ask when I call to announce that I am on my way home. The enjoyment of wine, even more so than the enjoyment of food, is a social pastime - good wine must be shared.
Early in March I attended Vinisud, a wine trade show promoted and financed by a number of Mediterranean countries, but largely represented by producers from the south of France. The big guys were largely absent - most of the exhibitors were literally mom and pop operations - the hand that poured the wine obviously had not only made the wine but tended the vines. What they were showing was truly the fruit of their labors. These were people who were doing what their ancestors had been doing for generations on the same land. But there is a difference!
Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence produce an enormous amount of wine - wine for the masses - and twenty years ago it was, for the most part, some of the worst wine in the whole world. Competition in the Common Market changed that very quickly. With carrot and stick used by the French government, a new generation of wine-makers are, I think, turning the wine world on its ear, in a process that started as a trickle ten or twelve years ago, and now is becoming a flood of superb inexpensive wine.
Vinisud was fascinating! Many producers poured one exciting wine after the other at prices that are astonishingly inexpensive. These were wines that reflected the wine-growers skill in the vineyard and in the winery - not manipulated, for the most part un-oaked, showing deep color, intense flavor, and chewy textures. I was frustrated because there were more Ricks Picks than I could possibly contemplate - I had to make choices, but I was exhilarated. You will be too when you enjoy some of these wines this fall. Interestingly enough one of my friends, who is a retailer in New York, expressed deep concern - if he sold these wines instead of Californian wines, which he does, his gross business would drop by half!
If the French Revolution were not enough, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Portugal, Italy and New Zealand are beating down the doors with exciting offerings. Wake up California!
Rick Lewis
It began more than ten years ago when I made a commitment to many cases of my first wine love, Casal Garcia Vinho Verde by which I was smitten back in 1946 in what was then Portuguese East Africa.
The first Saturday I offered Casal Garcia for sale (with a tasting of course) I sold not a single bottle. Much as I love it, I could not on my own have consumed all the Casal Garcia I had to purchase in order to ensure that I had fresh stock from the winery (Casal Garcia is non-vintage and undated and it must be consumed young). So I did what I had to - there was an open bottle in the store every day for several months. The rest is history! We have tried many other Vinho Verdes, but none compares with Casal Garcia, and it sells steadily summer and winter. If you have not yet tried it you are in a minute minority - get with it! Only $5.99.
Over the years there have been and still are white wines like 
Etchart
Torrontes, $6.99/6.29 from Argentina that have been trend setters away from the ubiquitous, oaky Chardonnays.
Made from an expatriate Spanish grape called Torrontes, it has a spiciness vaguely reminiscent of Gewurztraminer.
It is light, crisp and refreshing.
Two years ago we launched Picpoul - it is the name of an obscure southern French grape and the name that identifies the tall green bottle containing a delightful, light, tasty potion that marches out the store for $6.99 the bottle, $75.48 the case by the hundreds of cases! The distributor is using our success to market the wine to other retailers - I am told that one of them advertises it "as featured by the Madison Wine Shop". Thanks!
Meanwhile we move on, with, among others, a super little Portuguese wine - Alorna Blanco, $6.99/6.29, made of Chardonnay (50%), and a Portuguese grape Arinto (50%). Despite
the Chardonnay, the taste is unique, delicate and the wine is light, bright and devoid of oak.
Vermentino is another obscure, Cinderella grape, this time Italian, that
has been waiting for a princely wine grower to show its talents. The "glass slipper" is labeled Funtanaliras '97 Vermentino, $10.99/9.89,
from Sardinia. What a beauty and where has it been hiding? Stunning spicy, floral flavors, complex, crisp,
mouth-filling and bright - no oak!
A few French wine-makers have discovered Vermentino, and we have discovered one of their wines - a knock-out. Will be in the store in August.
Spiule is a brand name wine of Angoris, a wine-grower in Friuli Venetzia,
north-east Italy. You will remember it. Spiule
'97 Blanco is the latest Rick's Pick to hit the "obscure, delicious wine section". It is a blend
of typical Fruili Venetzian grape varietals, but the delicate hazelnut flavors of Tocai predominate. Superbly balanced
- no oak! Not quite as affordable as you spoiled MWS customer have grown accustomed to, but spring for the $15.99/14.39
- you'll not be disappointed.
Dig a little deeper in your wallet! Guillemot '96 Macon Clesse, $21.99/19.79 proves again that labels don't count.
Absent my cajolling, who would spend $22 for a mere Macon, a "bottom of the heap" white Burgundy classification?
Sold-out three cases in the course of a Saturday tasting. Went back and bought all that was left. What I found
fascinating was that even tasters who wouldn't know White Burgundy from White Zin were dazzled - and quite a few
did put their hands deeper into their pockets.
The same $21.99 will buy you Livon's ' 97 single vineyard Valbuins Sauvignon Blanc complete with not
one, but two, representations of the Livon trade mark - an Erte, nude mermaid/seahorse that somehow evaded the
BATF kiss of death. This is heavenly Sauvignon Blanc with not a trace of the grassy characteristic, that
I sometimes find offensive. Bracing, clean sharp citrus fruit. Wow!
Dig deeper still and spring for the Dom Gillet '96 Quintaine Macon, $22.99/20.69. You cannot go wrong.
From Trentino in northern Italy, the Ritratti '97 Pinot Grigio, $15.99/14.39 deserves your attention, as does the Torre '97 Fornelos Albarino, $12.99/11.69, from Galicia in Spain. Both are bright and crisp, loaded with varietal character. Both beg for food!
For an unforgettable experience with seafood, try Zind Humbrect '97 Goldert Muscat from Alsace, $33.99/30.59
- bone dry, crisply acid, astonishingly delicate yet complex fruit.
Rick's Pick of the great Jadot '96 White Burgundies-
'96 Santenay Clos Malte, $29.99/26.09
'96 St Romain, $28.99/26.09
'96 Morgeot La Chapelle, $53.99/48.59
T'was a tough choice.
From the south of France, Domaine Caton's '96 Chard,
$6.99/ 6.29 and '97 Fume Blanc, $7.99/7.19 are well-made wines at very attractive prices.
A stunning Burgundy-style Chard from South Africa is, Glen Carlou '97 Chard, $15.99/14.39.
Ch Gaubert
'96 Graves, $14.99 / 13.49 is a reminder that White Bordeaux can rival White Burgundy for richness and style.
This is as good as they come, and quite affordable.
Arneis, is a Piedmontese white grape that was rescued from extinction in the late '80s. It can produce wine with lovely pear and almond flavors, but all to often it lacks acidity leaving the wine with a flat, heavy mouth-feel. But, Deltetto '96 Arneis San Michele, $13.99 / 12.59 is lacking neither in the flavor nor acid departments. Quite delicious.
Domaine Roux '97 Chard, $11.99 / 10.79 is super,
inexpensive White Burgundy - worthy of your attention.
Lastly, Domaine Camp du Haut '97, $6.99/6.29, is
a fine example of the delightful, light, clean, lemony wines coming from Gascony in south-west France. Excellent
summer quaffing.
As far as I know there was no year 0AD, so the first day of the first millennium
was 1/1/1 AD. The first day of the second millennium was 1/1/1001 and the first day of the third millennium will
be 1/1/2001. So we are jumping the gun by celebrating 1/1/2000 - the Faux Millennium - those who hope to make a
killing simply cannot wait - among them Champagne producers..
My ranting and raving about Champagne in the last issue of The Wine Editorial drew hate e-mail! A good sign that
I am hitting the mark!
I'm going to rant again - this time about a marketing tactic that spreads the word that there is going to be a Champagne shortage for the Faux Millennium Celebration so hurry up and get your supply now. Personally, I don't believe that for one second, but retailers were being urged as early as last year to stock-up before the supply vanishes and the price increases. Price increases are real, but next year they will drop back when sales will plummet because retailers and/or consumers are overstocked.
We will sell more sparkling wine - I hope! We will run out of Roederer Crystal - we always do! But we will not run out of Pol Roger '90 Brut Rose, my all-time favorite - we will not run out of several decent, moderately priced Champagnes - and most important - we will not run out of Comte de Bernex '96 - our "house" sparkling wine from Haut Savoie, of France, that outsells all Champagnes and sparkling wines combined. It sells for $11.99 now and will sell for $11.99 on December 31, 1999 - most Champagne prices have gone, or are going, up. If you can afford the Pol Roger Rosé at $62.99 (probably $65 by year's end) , spring for it. It is exquisite! On the other hand I'd be quite happy celebrating the Faux Millennium with Comte de Bernex.
I tasted Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc when New Zealand's wines first hit our market at least ten years ago. Excellent but pricey, as were most of them. Prices have since come down as Californian prices have gone up - so they are now competitive, but quality-wise they stand alone.
Their forte is Sauvignon Blanc - usually in an unmistakable, stunning New Zealand style - bright, crisp wines that I describe as "tall and skinny". They go razor-sharp down the middle of the palate and up into the nose, a characteristic that is probably a signature of soil and climate, together with good wine-growing skills.
We get very few cases of each release of Cloudy Bay - not enough to meet the demand. So I had not tasted the wine since our original encounter. A couple of months ago I decided to see what all the fuss was about and I sneaked a bottle home. It was excellent - but no better than at least five or six of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that we regularly have in stock.
So dear Cloudy Bay customer may I suggest that you try one or all of the following Sauvignon Blancs and relieve yourself of the stress that accompanies seeking cult wine.
Vavasour '96 $22.99/20.69 and Goldwater '98 "Dogpoint" $19.99/ 17.98 are, in my opinion at the top of the heap and well worth the money. Vavasour is the richest and most complex of all that I have tasted and the Goldwater has the most intense, clean and crisp "vertical" characteristic.
St. Clair '97 $14.99/13.49; Dashwood '97, $14.99 / 13.49; and Villa Maria '97, $11.99 / 10.79 are great examples of the New Zealand Style. St Clair also makes great Chardonnay and a stunning razor sharp Riesling, both, $16.99/15.29
Here is what my Wine-Grape Authority, Jancis Robinson, says about Romorantin - "eastern Loire grape fast fading from the French vignoble. Cour Cheverny is an appellation especially created for Romorantin grown just west of Blois."
The Cour Cheverny appellation consists almost entirely of a vineyard owned by Francois Cazin the proprietor of Le Petite Chambord, and it is, as noted above, planted with Romorantin, a grape varietal new to me.
Well, as I write, I am re-tasting in real time, Le
Petite Chambord '95 Cour-Cheverny of which I ordered a substantial quantity not three hours ago. Cour Cheverny
is a tiny part of Cheverny, a small appellation at the eastern end of the Touraine region of the Loire Valley.
The closest I can come to describing the bouquet and the up-front fruit in the mouth is "very clean Riesling" - not the "petroleum" style Riesling. The extraction and ripeness are phenomenal. The level of richness and fullness are rarely encountered even in top White Burgundy. Glorious lemony citrus takes over the finish which is needle sharp and clean as a whistle and as long as a football field. I am bowled over. The label says Vendange Manuelle meaning that the grapes were harvested by hand, and not just at one fell swoop but several times, each time picking only ripe grapes. That could account for the wonderful ripeness.
The wine, I am told, is long-lived and needs bottle age. I have bought all that remains of the '95 vintage and a sample case of the '96 which is just now being released - this is white wine not red - how many red wine-makers are just now releasing their '96 vintage and at what price? Why is the Romorantin grape "fast fading", as Jancis Robinson reports, when it makes wine like this? I think it is fantastic! - credit Francois Cazin, the wine-grower.
Look for this treat sometime in July. It will sell for a mere $13.99/12.59. I anticipate a "knock- down the doors" response.
Gascon '97 Malbec, $13.99 / 12.49 from Argentina,
continues to blow-away MWS customers with its black-purple color, come-hither bouquet, monumental, mouth-filling
black-fruit flavors and its great structure and finish. The last of many, many cases of the '97 have been delivered
and will be gone by the time you read this. But do not despair! The '98 will be arriving soon - in substantial
quantities. From what I have heard it is even better than the '97.
Arnaldo
Etchart '94 Malbec/Cab (80/20), $14.99 / 13.49, is the best Malbec we have. The Cab adds structure and
even more complexity to the lush Malbec fruit. I strongly recommend decanting to aerate the wine. Pour back in
the bottle and wait at least three or four hours. Then sit back and enjoy a touch of heaven.
Not to be out-done, Chile has entered the Malbec sweepstakes with the Manet
'97, $9.99 / 8.99, a winner at a bargain price. Very Highly Recommended.
Bodega Norton's '97 Malbec from Argentina, at $8.99
/ 8.09, is truly incredible value. The wine has explosive fruit, interlaced with substantial chewy tannins
that provide a wonderful mouth-feel. Our original shipment has sold out. More coming!
French versions of Malbec include, Clos Roche Rouge '96, $13.99/12.59, from the Loire, where Malbec is known as Cot (pronounced Co). Very different style from the Argentinean versions. It is light, tasty, and restrained - excellent with seafood like tuna, swordfish or halibut, and with lighter meats. For more examples of French Malbec, in a bigger, darker style try Terrasses de Bouyses '94 Cahors, $9.99/9.89
Tannat is another fascinating red grape. It makes wines that, when young, are deep-colored and tannic, but with ageing they evolve superbly. If you would know whereof I speak, try a bottle of Montus '95 Madiran, $21.99/19.79 from south-west France - Basque country. Other south-west appellations such as Bearn, a favorite that has unfortunately disappeared from our shelves, are primarily Tannat.
At Vinexpo two years ago, I came across a stunning Uruguayan wine made of Tannat, but I had no way to import wines from Uruguay. Since then I have found an importer and have learned more about Uruguayana wines. It seems that Basques settlers took the grape to Uruguay in the 19th century, where it has thrived under the Basque name Harriague. At Vinexpo this June I will be looking for our first Uruguayan wines.
My personal cellar predates the Madison Wine Shop and holds mostly wine from the 70's and 80's. This week I had an interesting tasting experience, which may be worth relating.
Back in 1984, at the urging of Robert Parker I purchased two cases of Sociando Mallet '82 Bordeaux, and over the years I have consumed about half a case. It still is deep purple in color, has nice fruit but is almost one dimensional - no structure, no complexity, no length. A glass and a half and I've had enough. A bottle opened this very evening confirmed my earlier observations.
On the other hand, Robert Parker frequently revisits the '82 Bordeaux and usually includes the Sociando Mallet about which he never fails to rave. Are we drinking the same wine?
Also in my cellar are the remains of a case of HMR Hoffman Ranch '79 Central Coast Cab from San Louis Obispo. I paid less than $7 a bottle - probably in '81. Each bottle opened has been demolished at one sitting and it never fails to confirm my recollection of what Californian Cabernet was, and to reinforce my disenchantment with much of what is now available. That 20-year old wine is still very much alive - bright, black-purple color, stunning, complex fresh fruit flavors, and, if there was oak it is no longer apparent. Hoffman no longer exists. The vineyard is now owned by an international company.
On June 18, on our way from Bordeaux to Bilbao, we will be stopping for lunch, in Guetario, a little fishing village on the Basque coast of Spain. Right on the dock are about five restaurants that serve fresh seafood grilled on open wood fires. Anchovies, sardines, crab, and fish of every description. I kid you not - there is nothing I have had to compare with what is offered here. Nothing fancy. Just plain grilled seafood. And of course it is washed down with Txakoli, the bright, crisp, slightly effervescent, prickly white wine produced in the surrounding hills from a grape called Hondarrabi Zuri. Heaven! I cannot resist pigging-out. We'll probably repeat the performance on our way back to France two days later.
I tell you this not only to tout Eizaguirre Txakoli which at $9.99 / 8.99 has long been a fixture on the MWS shelves, but to urge
you to make a pilgrimage to Guetario and its restaurants, if you are ever within striking distance of San Sebastian
or Bilbao. I recommend the restaurant Astillero, although you will not go wrong with any one of them.
We have a small selection of Rick's Picks Barolo's - some ready to drink
and others not. The problem with Barolo's is that many need years of aging to reach their potential. A few Barolo's
are enjoyable young, most are not, and virtually all of the Barolos available in wholesale are too young to drink
- but they disappear quickly. Demand exceeds supply.
Most MWS customers are drinkers not collectors. Maintaining a selection of drinkable Barolos requires that I try
to buy a few from every worthwhile vintage.
Back in February I attended an Italian wine tasting, hoping to find some Barolo of good quality at affordable prices - I found big Barolos needing much patience at forbidding prices. I also found a couple of "Super Piedmontese" that stole my heart. A Super Piedmontese, like its Super Tuscan cousin is a wine that has no legitimate appellation because of the grapes used.
The single-vineyard Barolos of Luigi Einaudi, a top producer, are superb but prohibitively expensive. The Einaudi Rosso Delle Langhe is not inexpensive either at $49.99/44.99. Its cepage is Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot - 25% each - and therefore it lacks "pedigree" and does not qualify as a DOC wine. However, I was smitten by the intense bouquet, enormous, layered, complex fruit, balanced by lovely firm tannin. Very drinkable now and for the foreseeable future, and much better value than any of the Barolos I sampled. Consequently, I think this wine's future is quite limited - there just won't be any left!
Romano Marengo's winery, called Ca' Rome, sits atop the Rabaja hill - hallowed ground for Barabaresco, which he makes. He also makes Barolo from vineyards in the Serralunga region, and from those same vineyards come the Nebbiolo and Barbera that go into Ca' Rome '96 Dapruve, another Super Piedmontese. In the Piedmontese dialect, "Dapruve" means "You simply must try this.", and my response is Amen! For me, buying this wine was a no-brainer, as it should be for you if you are willing to spend $40.99/36.89.
I am told that ordinary Piedmontese drink Barbera and Dolcetto, leaving the Nebbiolo-based
Barolo and Barbaresco for the well-heeled wine-lovers of the world. Barbera makes a wide variety of delicious,
fleshy, affordable wines that are well represented on our shelves. Nevertheless, I simply could not resist the
Poderi Colla '97 Barbera, $21.99/19.79. It joins another Barbera that I similarly found irresistible a couple
of months ago - Avocata '95 Barbera D'Asti
$11.99/10.79. For starters its color is brick red - looks like a 10 or 15 yr old wine - and it tastes like
no other Barbera I have ever tasted, and like no other wine in the store. Delicious. Try it!
The third Piedmontese grape Dolcetto has been an enigma to me. The name Dolcetto does not mean "sweet", as you might suppose, but "the little one" as compared to Nebbiolo and Barbera.
I have tasted many Dolcettos and almost without exception I find them to be mean little wines lacking any redeeming fruit. Grignolino, another Piedmontese varietal is similarly unpleasant, perhaps because these two varietals are relegated to the poorest vineyards with poor northern exposure, almost ensuring that they never fully ripen.
There was an exception - the '92 Marcarini Fontanazza was delightful and sold very
well - but subsequent vintages have failed to duplicate it. So I very nearly passed up Luigi Einaudi's '97 Dolcetto Vigna Tecc, $20.99/18.89. I'm pleased
that I did not, because it bears no resemblance to any Dolcetto I have tasted. So perhaps I am unfairly damning
the grape when I should be damning the wine-grower. The Vigna Tecc has enormous concentration of fruit and extract
- a big very satisfying wine. Very highly recommended!
Our years of fighting prejudice has achieved success! Each summer Rosé sales claim a bigger share, as you discover that Rosé and Lancers are not the same thing; that we offer a range of Rosé's that are dry, crisp, tasty - ideal wine to go with light summer food, Sunday Brunch, picnics and barbeques. Look them over.
Montevina
'96 Nebbiolo, $5.99 / 5.39 is a revelation and a giveaway bargain. Intense, fresh Nebbiolo fruit dominates
the wine from start to crisp clean finish.
Fondreche '97 Rosé Ventoux, $7.99 / 7.19
Duclos '96 Syrah, $8.99 / 8.09
Marquise de Montaud '96 Rosé, $8.99 / 8.09 are typically southern French - restrained fruit, crisp, even tangy, and so refreshing.
Ch Routas '97 Rouviere, $9.99 / 8.99, is somewhat more fruity (now made by a Californian wine-maker).
Drouet '96 Sancerre Rosé, $14.99 / 13.49,
is something special. Made of Pinot Noir, it is delicate, subtle, and superb with seafood like sole, flounder and
shell fish.
Dom. Tempier '96 Bandol, $21.99/ 19.79 - 100% Mourvedre
and the creme de la creme of Provencal Rosé. Lovely bouquet and delicate fruit and of course there is the
Mouvedre "zing" in the finish.
At $6.99 / 6.29 each, the Mont Gras '97 Chard and Merlot
are incredible values. Palatable Chilean white wines are, in my opinion, rare. But, here we have a delicious Chard
- nicely balanced fruit, oak and acidity - for a song. And the Merlot is equally well-made.
There are divine alcoholic beverages made from fruit rather than grapes. Eau-de-Vie or "Water of Life" which are brandies distilled from fruit wine, and Fruit Cordials. The former are dry and contain up to 40% alcohol, the latter are usually sweet and contain around 20% alcohol. Neither should be confused with inexpensive flavored brandies or "schnapps". The real stuff is made from fruit and when they are good the intensity of flavor can be heavenly.
In the last newsletter I mentioned the Blackberry Cordial from Germany - Thienelt Echte Kroatzbeere, $32.99 - fabulous stuff. We have long carried the Massenez Framboise, $21.99, and Kirchwasser, $19.99, and we recently acquired a line from a French producer, Mathilde whose Cassis, Framboise, Peche and Poire - all $9.99 for a 375 ml bottle. Each exquisite.
Use them to make Kir by adding them, sparingly, to white wine or preferably sparkling wine. Use them over ice-cream or sip them after the main course, but before dessert.
Eau-de-vie on the other hand can be sipped as an aperitif, as a palate-cleanser between courses, with dessert, or after dinner, and here the good news is that we have the first product of a new Connecticut Distillery - Westford Hill Distillers, in Ashford. Margaret Chatey is the entrepreneurial founder who in her brochure says - "Eau-de-vie is the clear distilled natural essence of fresh fruit, captured in a bottle and unleashed in a single sip". Her first product is Kirsch, available in 375 ml bottles at $17.99. I recommend it highly. A Poire William will be available before year's-end. A Calvados is in the works but needs as many as five years of ageing.
Back in the time of the wine-cooler foolishness, I offered, with little success, French Cider as a more satisfying alternative. At that time all I could find was "Doux", or sweet, cider. Now I have "Brut", or dry, cider from a top Normandy Calvados producer. Bottle conditioned - final fermentation was in the bottle, like champagne, with a deposit of yeast left in the bottom of the bottle. Much like red wine, the flavors come from the skin of the fruit, not the pulp.
Etienne Dupont's '97 Cidre, $8.99/ 8.09, is yellowy orange in color with an intense, fresh spicy aroma. The taste is fresh, fruity, intense, dry and crisp. Savor apples and citrus fruit. Terrific as a summer aperitif - chill, but no colder than 60 degrees - and it will go with after-dinner cheeses. Delightful, I am told, with barbequed chicken and with apple desserts and crepes but I have not yet tried these combinations. Experiment, but finish it within hours of opening - it does not hold up for longer than a day.
Benzinger's
'96 Syrah, $17.99/16.19, follows the example of the '95 as the most exhuberent, hedonistic Syrah on our shelves.
You do not want to miss this.
Ahlgren '96 Syrah, $19.99 / 17.99 and the Qupe '96 Ben Nacido Syrah, $26.99/ 24.29 are first class Californian wines.
The French contingent includes, Schistes '94 Les Terrasses, $13.99/12.59 a big, highly extracted wine from the Pyrenees foothills
of Roussillon - Schistes refers to the soil - in geologic terms Shist is decomposed granite - and Les Terrasses
refers to the vineyard which is on a hillside and terraced. The Schistes '96 Tradition, $10.99 / 9.89 is
a blend of Grenache and Syrah - good stuff. Segries '97 Lirac, $12.99/11.69 is one of those inky purple
monsters. This one offers fruit, spice and tannin to match the promise of the color and bouquet.
Don't look for Cabernet or Merlot in Portuguese wines. They have their own unique
varietals, many of which make bold, earthy wines, and not surprisingly are those used to make port. Of these Touriga
National and Touriga Tinto are the best and are some of the grapes to be found in two inexpensive, jaw-dropping
wines - Espiga '97 Tinto, $7.99/7.19 and Barros Vilar de Galeira '95,
$7.99/7.19. Chewy, mouth-filling exhuberence that could turn a pizza dinner into a banquet.
Prefer something much lighter, with lovely fruit and a tangy finish? Tamara
'97 Tinto, $7.99/7.19 will fill the bill just fine.
Contrary to what I said above, - Cadaval '96, $12.99/11.69 is Portuguese Cabernet Sauvignon - a very nicely
made, tasty wine. Barros Vilar de Galeira '95, $7.99/7.19. Chewy, mouth-filling exhuberence that could turn
a pizza dinner into a banquet.
From what was once known as the Shenedoah Valley Vineyard, Amador Foothill '95 Zin , $14.99/13.49 is a spicy gem offering all of the complexity that seems to be typical of Amador Zins.
Caymus '95 Special Select Cab - yup - I finally succumbed to the wishes of those who are willing - no take that back - who are insistent on spending $145 a bottle (there is the usual 10% discount on a case!!!).
La Jota '96 Howell Mtn Cab, $40.00/ 36.00 is not the Anniversary bottling which some are willing to kill for. Haven't tasted either in 10 years. The Sullivan '95 Cab, $42.99/ 38.69 is very good wine. Rick Recommends it.
Ferrari-Carano
'96 Siena, $28.99 /26.09, a delicious, very drinkable, most unusual blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet and Malbec.
I find a consistent elegant style in Ferrari-Carano's reds, much in evidence in this wine.
It never fails! I find a winery making consistently good wine and when I check it out it turns out to be family run and small. Such is the case with Ahlgren Vineyard. Started in the family basement in 1976, the production is not much more than 1500 cases per year, hand-made from purchased grapes. Cabernet, Cab Franc and Semillon are their forte. We have all three varietals on our shelves, plus a super Syrah noted elsewhere.
Ahlgren attention-getters —
'96 Cab Franc, $22.99/ 20.69, (75% Cab Franc, 25% Cab)
'91 Cabernet, $22.99/20.69, (94% Cab, 6% Cab Franc)
'96 Syrah, $19.99/17.98, from Paso Robles;
'94 Semillon, $19.99/17.98, from Livermore Valley - all deserve your attention.
Sablet from Domaine Piaugier (remember Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Rasteau and Sablet, my quartet of outstanding southern Rhone appellations that lie side by side on the forbidding slopes of the Montmiraille mountains?), a trio of delicious wines.
'94 Montmartel, $13.99/12.59
'95 Tenebi, $13.99/12.59
'97 Sablet Cote du Rhone, $10.99/ 9.89. All . The Montmartel and Tenebi are single vineyard
bottlings - the Tenebi is made entirely of Counoise, on of the lesser known grapes of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Chapoutier's
'96 "La Bernardine" Chateauneuf-du-pape, $22.99/20.69, is a steal. If you do not know the wines of
the Rhone start here!
Breath-taking was my reaction to Perraud's '96 "Les Genets" Cornas, $35.99/32.39. Syrah! Syrah! I don't care if nobody
buys it.
For starters there is Vina Alarba '97 from the
Calatayud Appellation in Aragon, north-central Spain. The wine is made by a co-op from old vine Grenache (90%)
and Syrah. You will not believe the wine or the price - they are totally out of wack. The wine is purple
to black, lovely Grenache bouquet. In the mouth, big layered fruit, tons of spice and nice tannin. Twelve dollars
at the very least! No - you can have it for $6.99/6.29 - while it lasts.
Margues de Vargas '94 Rioja Reserva, $21.99/19.78. A great vintage from one of the greatest Rioja producers.
Marques Velilla '96 Ribero del Duero, $13.99/12.59 is relatively tannic for a Spanish wine, but the tannin is interwoven with lovely chewy fruit. Sheer delight.
Pinord '95 Chateldon Reserve Cabernet, $13.99/12.59. Not your usual Spanish red - more tannin and structure than one finds with Tempranillo.
Domaine Roux '97 Pinot Noir, $11.99/10.79 and Heresztyn '96 Pinot Noir, $14.99/13.49 are a pair of wines that for little money offer true Burgundy flavor and character. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Latour-Geraud '96 Maranges 1er Cru, $18.99/17.09 is a somewhat meaty wine, full-bodied and full-flavored.
I had intended to buy only one '96 Faiveley, but I found both the '96 Clos Du Roy, $28.99/26.09, and the '96 Clos du Myglands, $24.99/22.49 utterly irresitable,
so I bought both - and not a little. Like so many '96 Burgundies these wines have tremendous fruit - tons of extract
and plenty of character. Beautiful!
At the Drouhin and Jadot tastings I had a serious problem - I liked far more of
the wines than I could possibly have bought - we already have far more wine than we can display. I passed up some
less expensive wines in favor of the Drouhin '96 Cote de Beaune, $22.99/ 20.69. I did not have to think
twice about the Drouhin '96 Chambolle
Musigny, $37.99/34.19 - remarkable wine.
At the Jadot tasting the choices were even tougher. The Jadot '96 Clos Roche, $90.00/81.00 is the second most expensive Burgundy in the house (no, we have no Romanee Conti) but I know that there are people out there who can both appreciate the wine and are willing to dig deep.
Here are the rest of my Jadot choices. The '96 Santenay Clos Malte, $26.99/24.29; the '96 Savigny le Beaune "La Daminode", $29.99/ 26.99; and finally the '96 Beaune Chouacheux, $34.99/31.49. All exciting wines, very drinkable now and for the next 10 to 15 years.
White wine is made by fermenting juice that has been pressed and separated from the grape skins, seeds and stems. Red wine, on the other hand, is made by fermenting the juice in contact with skins, seeds and sometimes stems. It is the skins that make red wine what it is, contributing not only the tannin but most of the flavor.
The components of wine that we perceive through our senses of taste and smell are acids, such as the malic acid in apples; "fruit" or flavor that comes from the grapes; flavor components that come from the fermentation process, that can to some extent be controlled by the wine-maker; and flavors that wine-maker deliberately adds (oak) - or removes (tannin) by filtration, or fining.
The taste buds in our mouths are sensitive to only sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Everything else we taste comes from our sense of smell - via our olfactory bulb located in our nasal passage.
We do get a sense of texture or "mouth-feel" from our mouths - such words as viscous, chewy, light or full bodied describe mainly mouth-feel sensations, but our mouths are relatively rudimentary sensors. On the other hand, a few molecules contacting the olfactory bulb, enables the brain to identify those molecules from the signatures of as many as 10,000 others stored in the recesses of the brain. Often the recognition of the smell or bouquet will recall associated incidents, and memories, sometimes instantly, or sometimes after days or weeks of teasing thought.
To experience a sense of smell we need to volatilize some of the aromatic molecules so they can reach our olfactory bulb. Very volatile aromatics, give the impression that the wine is literally jumping out of the glass, but many, if not most of the aromatics in wine need to be volatilized by aeration, by warming, or by some kind of chemical reaction in the mouth. They need to be coaxed out by "chewing", or by "slurping" air through the wine. Guzzle good wine (or good beer for that matter) and you will experience little if any of the pleasure that the wine-maker was able to capture in the bottle, and which is what you paid for.
Worse yet, the tannins in red wine are percieved by the taste buds in the mouth to be bitter or astringent, and the response is almost instant. So, if you chug the wine you may taste the tannins, but never get the fruit, and you will be left wondering what all the fuss is about and why anyone would want to drink the stuff.
Come to a Wise-up on Wine tasting and you will be cajoled, harangued or otherwise persuaded to chew and slurp.
This is an appropriate place to make my pitch about white wine chilled to death. The colder the wine the less volatile are the flavor components and the harder you will have to work to get the fruit you paid for. My comfort level for most white wines is about 68 degrees. Find yours!